It Must Be Tuesday
by Random Little Imp
Summary: In response to a challenge Cordy gets a vision of Xander being viciously attacked by a demon she is unable to see for some mysterious reason. So the Fang gang heads to Sunnydale to investigate and save him.
1. Chapter 1

**Part 1**

"I told you before I don't bend that way." Cordelia lets out a small giggle as Angel trys to get her into an ackward fighting stance, "Where did you come up with these things anyhow, the Kama Sutra? I'm telling you it's unnatural."

"The Kama Sutra is not unnatural, it's entertaining." Standing behind her Angel grins as he places her arm behind his head.

"Perv!" Cordelia swigs around and trys to playfully punch Angel in the arm, but he catches her hand and pulls her to him, pressing her body to his.

"Don't knock it till you try it.", he leans down and covers her mouth with his before she can say another word.

"Mmmhhh, Xander?!"

"Cordy, please tell me you're having a vision." He looks into her eyes to see that she's not looking at him, but over his shoulder.

"Oh God, Look Out Xander! Angel! Xander, he's being attacked, blasted by ...something! I think he might be hurt!"

"Did you see what did it?"

"No, I couldn't see it..it was like.. I was looking through it's eyes. This is bad."

"Well, I guess we know where we're spending the weekend." Angel takes her by the hand as they head back up stairs, "You call ahead, let them know we're coming, I'll brief the team and start packing. Sunnydale here we come."

***********

It's early evening when they gang shows up at the Summer's house. After everyone is situated in the living room, drinks in hand, the introductions start.

Xander looks over at the small Texan, "So I get how Gunn got into all this, rogue vampire hunter and all, but does a physist fit in?"

"Well, Angel and them saved me from a hell dimension I'd been trapped in for five years after reading a book outloud and accidently opening a portal to another dimension. It seemed only natural to repay them by helping anyway I could." Fred gives a meek smile, and is rewarded with a quick hug from Gunn.

"And they say reading is fundamental, I'm telling you there's a conspiracy and the Library Association is at the heart of it." Xander annouces before getting a smack from Willow."Ouch."

Spike wanders into the room from the kitchen, having come in the back door, "Ah, I see we have out of town guests. What, did you kill everything in LA and decided to start moving down the coast?"

"Hello Spike." Cordy looks up at him from her spot on the couch, and does a double take, "Well, well, well like grandsire, like grandson. When did this happen."

Angel, confused by the statement, looks over at his seer, "When did what happen, what do you mean like grandsire, like grandson?"

"Take a big whiff, Spike's been ensouled." Cordelia annouces pointing at Spike.

"Yeah, yeah it happened over the summer, wasn't exactly what I was going for. Got tricked by a demon." Spike drops into one of the chairs.

"Tricked by a demon, who woulda thought." Gunn smiles.

"Hey how did you know anyhow cheerleader!" Spike leans forward, looking at Cordy.

"Oh, yeah did I forget to mention, Higher Being at your service." she raises her hand.

"I guess all those years in high school as Queen C were just preparation for your true calling, huh. Ouch, hey." This time Angel is the one to smack Xander, "Watch it deadboy!"

"I told you not to call me that."

***********

Floating in the unseen realm bewteen worlds, Karktos watches the group intently. "Yes, the witch will do nicely," he floats over toward where Willow sits silently not quite part of the group, "Her soul is tainted, it will be easy to manipulate her to my will."

"Oh, yeah did I forget to mention, Higher Being at your service."

Karktos glares at the young woman on the couch, "A higher being, her soul is so bright and pure, and her power is strong. She will be the one, yes corrupting her will be my greatest acheivement."

***********

"So let me get this straight, sometime in the next 24 hours and demon is going to attack and I'm the target?!" Xander plops down on the floor unbelieving and a little nervous as Anya trys to console him.

"Must be Tuesday." Buffy chugs back a large glup of soda, "Oh wait it's Saturday isn't it. That's different."

"Well, I'm going to get another drink, anyone want anything while I'm up?" Cordy rises from the couch and heads towards the kitchen.

"I'm famished, do you have any snacks?" Fred looks hopefully at Buffy.

"Sure, go nuts."

"Hey Cordy wait up." Fred leaps up from the couch and hurrys after Cordelia only to see her grabbed in the hallway by a large blue demon with braided hair and green armor. "Cordy! Angel help!"

Angel runs into the hall in time to see Cordy and the demon disappear through a small portal in the wall, "NO!" He leaps towards the portal but is to late and the two are gone. "Damn it, Cordy, No!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

The floor was cold and damp, seeping through the thin material of her skirt. Cordelia knew she had to reconsider her wardrobe, ever since she found out she was a higher being she had opting for wearing thin, flowing materials in light colors. Very become of an angelic being, but not really very good when dealing with the dregs of demon society, or for laying on the floor of their lairs, something she did more often then she liked. She tried to sit up, but her stomach revolted at the idea and there was the ringing in her ears to not think about. She was sure she had just turned a pale shade of green, and fought the urge to throw up her lunch.

"Sorry if you're feeling a bit ill, side effect of sidestepping, if you're not me." Karktos looked down at Cordelia from the stone bench he sat on.

Cordelia looked down at her feet and found that they were tied together with a rope that extended to a small metal loop protruding from the floor. "You think you can hold me with rope?" She looked up at him scornfully, and began to glow. As the power traveled down her body to her feet, the rope began to smoke and burn. Within

moments the rope had completely dissintigrated, "You have no idea who you're dealing with buddy." She stood , a little shaky, but she wasn't about to stay on the floor, and show weakness to this jerk.

Karktos simply smiled. "Oh, I know exactly who I am dealing with, or should I say what I'm dealing with." He stood and walk confidently towards her, "A higher being, it's fascinating really. Your aura is so pure and bright. Almost blinding to look at. Breaking you to my will will bring me great pleasure. And don't try to escape, we are far underground and the only way in or out is sidestepping."

"My friends are so going to kick your ass when they find you."

"Ah yes, but first they have to find me, which they won't."

"What do you want!"

"You are going to be my little delivery girl."

"What! Not a chance you freak." Karktos laughed, "I admit you were not my first choice for this mission, I was going to use the witch."

"Willow?"

"Yes, her soul is tainted with past corruption, she would have been easy to break. I never expecting for you to show up. The challenge of darken the soul of a higher being was to much to pass up."

"I'll never work for you!"

"Yes, please resist, it wouldn't be nearly as fun if you made it easy." Karktos begins speaking in what sounds almost like Latin, and a circle begins to glow around Cordelia's feet. She trys to step away but her feet can't seem to move outside of the circle.

***********

"God, I'm sorry Angel, I should have done something, grabbed her or something. I quess I just freaked." Fred looks at the vampire who is still staring at the wall in the hallway.

"I just got her back."

"Cordelia is gone?" Buffy look curiously at Angel, never having seen him this upset before.

"What does he mean, he just got her back?" Willow looks over at the tall black man holding Fred's shoulders comfortingly.

"Princess has made a habit out of disappearing. Though I've never seen Angel get like this, it's usually more about breaking things and rushing head long into danger without thinking about the consequences."

" I just got her back, and I'm not losing her again damn it." Angel slams his fist into the wall suddenly, breaking through the plaster and jarring some pictures loose from their nails, causing everyone to jump.

"That's more like it."

"But is it a good thing or a bad thing?" Willows asks, not really expecting an answer.

"Okay, we have to find Cordy, and Mr. evil of the week guy." Buffy speaks up , and starts heading back to the living room. "We'll split up and swept the town. this guy has a plan and sooner or later he'll show himself. We'll split into two teams, start at the edges of town and work our way back into the middle and meet up later."

"How will we lat the others know if we find anything? We're not exactly telepathic you know." Xander completely serious, starts handing out weapons from the chest he had given to Buffy on her last birthday.

"Well, we've got our cell phones." Fred speaks up.

"Great," Buffy smiles at the girl from Texas, "We'll split you up bewteen the teams and can keep in touch that way. Let's see Xander, Fred and Spike come with me and we'll start on the north side of town. Willow, Anya and Gunn will go with Angel to the South. We'll meet back up at the Blessed Mother Cemetary in the middle of town.

We'll stop by some of Spike's old buddies and see if they know anything. Angel you go down to Willy's Place and see if you can beat some info outta him. I'm sure he'll e happy to see you again. If you see anything call the other team, and they'll come a running. Everybody got it?" All the group nods, "Alright, let's head out, we're burning moonlight."

The group starts heading for the door, Angel hangs back with Buffy.

"Sorry about the wall."

"It's alright, Xander can fix it up. This house has seen much worse then that." She smile up at him trying to lighten the tense mood and sees only frustration and anger on his face, "We'll find her."

"I know we will. And then I'm going to kill the bastard that took her." Angel heads out the door to join his team.

'He loves her' Buffy realises, 'he really loves her.'


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

"So they made her a princess. Man, what an ego boost." Xander and Fred walk behind as Buffy and Spike comb through yet another graveyard.

"I was there for five years and they only time they paid that much attention to me was to try and chop off my head."

"Well, I guess you're glad to back in the good old U S of A away from Axe weilding demons, huh."

"I was back less then two months and some demons tryed to chop off my head...again."

"Okay then, just wait till you have an evil twin, or every woman in town wanting to make you their own personal love monkey. Then the real fun starts."

"I don't think that many woman would want me to be their love monkey."

"Okay then all the men in town."

"You sure have alot of cemetaries here."

"You should see our churches. At least the one above ground anyhow."

"You have subterrian churches?"

"Earthquake. We've got lot of those too."

As Fred and Xander continue on with their comparing of adventures Buffy and Spike keep a watchful eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

"What exactly are we looking for love?"

"A demony secret hide out, and don't call me love." Buffy throws a catious glance at the blonde vampire, who only smiles. She looks towards a shadow back behind them, trying to see.

"Problem?"

"It's just... does it feel like we're being followed to you?"

"Hadn't noticed anything?"

"Must be my imagination." Buffy shrugs off the feeling and continues walking forward, "I can't believe none of your buddies had heard anything. That's a little strange."

"I can't believe they let us live after Fred released the kittens."

"Well, it is a stupid currency."

"Xander..." a small whimper is heard from the bushes.

Buffy and group rush to find a badly beaten Anya lying nearly unconscious on the ground.

"Anya what happened?" Buffy kneals in front of the injured vengence demon.

Anya looks up at the slayer with a wide, evil grin on her face, "Gotcha!"

"Buffy, Look Out!"

***********

"Why do I have to be with you guys again, I want to be with Xander." Anya mumbles as she, Angel, Willow and Gunn leave Willy's Place.

"Because Buffy wanted each team to have two super humans." Willow tells the blonde.

"They have you, what do they need me for."

"You know I can't risk using the magic. Not yet anyhow."

Angel storms off in front of the group, looking more than a little aggravated.

"Dude, I've never seen you manhandle someone like that before. Not that the little twerp didn't have it coming, but damn."

"A waste of time. We have to find Cordy and he didn't know a thing."

"Maybe we should check in with the other group and see if they learned anything yet." Willow suggests.

"Good idea Red." Gunn reaches for his cell phone and is about to dial when it rings, causing everyone to jump.

"Oh, for the love of Pete!" Anya yells.

***********

"Buffy, Look Out!" Xander dives for the slayer as Cordelia, who has appeared behind them, points a wand at the her. A flash of light flies through the air and hits Xander in the gut sending him and Buffy sailing back five feet. Spike leaps at Cordy, but she has already lost consciousness and is falling to the ground, dropping the wand beside her.

"What the hell got into Cheerleader? And what was this thing she shot at you." Spike picks up the wand and hands it to Buffy.

She looks over the arcane item and slipps it into her pocket, "I don't know, but I intend to find out.", Buffy gets up and goes to Xander followed by Fred, "Xander are you alright?"

"Yeah, just knock the wind outta me." Xander, with Buffy's help, stands holding his gut, finding a large hole burned through his shirt. "Ah, man I just got this shirt. Hey where did Anya go?"

"She's gone, vanished." Fred is looking at the bush the demoness was lying next to.

"That wasn't Anya, who ever it was, was playing decoy."

Fred grabs her cell phone, "Better call the other group and tell'em to met back at you're place."

"Good idea, Spike you carry Cordelia, Xander can lean on me. Let go home."

***********

A teenage boy watches from behind a near by crypt, hidden from view, as the strange group pick up Cordelia and start heading back the way they had come. "What is going on, I thought Cordelia fought for good. Why is she attacking that girl?" Connor questions quietly to himself. Keeping tabs on Angel had lead him to this strange town, and even stranger people. He decided to wait a moment and continue behind them in the shadows, "I have to be careful, that blonde girl almost seemed to know I was following them. Who is she?"

Karktos materilizes behind the boy, "My last attempt did not goes as planned, but you will make a fine minion for a second try."

Taken off guard for only a moment, Connor doesn't sense the demon behind him right away, Karktos begins speaking his spell, but doesn't have the chance to finish before Connor whirls around in a roundhouse kick to the demon's face, snapping his neck. Karktos drops, his limp corpse landing on the ground with a light thud. Connor turns back to the group, "Now, which way did they go?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4**

"Barbie attacked you?!" Gunn looking rather astonished.

"Yeah, with this." Buffy pulls the wand out of her pocket and hands it to Willow, " I don't know what these marking on it are, you think you can do some research, try to figure it out."

"Will do, having the wand to refer to should make it easier. I'll get some books." Willow heads out of the room and into the dining room, where her laptop is set up on the table.

"She must have been under some kind of spell. Her eyes were all dead like, like she was in a trance." Fred explains.

Cordelia is lying on the couch, with Angel kneeling beside her a look of worry on his face, "Come back to me Cordy, you have to."

The tension and worry coming from Angel spreads through the group of heros and everyone suddenly feels that they should be elsewhere, as if they are intruding on a private moment they were not meant to see. It becomes quiet, the only sounds are Angel's own pleading to Cordy's motionless body on the couch.

Buffy turns to Xander and quietly speaks, as if not to disturb the scene in front of her, "How are you feeling?"

"Alittle bloated, but otherwise fine. Man I'm starved! Anyone else want a sandwich?" Xander turns to go to the kitchen, followed by everyone, but Buffy, using food as an excuse to leave the room.

Buffy slowwly walks to Angel's side and kneels beside him, "How long have you been seeing each other?"

Angel looks up at the slayer suddenly, fear in his eyes, "What makes you think that we're ..."

"Don't lie to me, it's obvious. I'm not upset I just thought you would like someone to talk to about it. No one else knows do they."

"No. They don't know. We're not...intimate, and don't intend to be. So we decided they really didn't need to be worring about it."

"If they did know, perhaps they could help you try and find a cure."

Angel looks at Buffy, a little shocked that she would so calmly make that suggestion, and he sees that she has truely grown since they last were together and he is proud to know her because of the woman she has become. "Perhaps you're right."

At that moment Cordelia stirs on the couch, streaches as if waking from sleep, and slowly opens her eyes. Angel leaps up and grabs her arms, pulling her into a seated position only to see confusion in her face. " Where am I? Who are you? Who am I?" the panic is rising in her voice with each new question.

"Cordy?" Angel is stunned into silence, unsure what to say. Luckily Buffy manages to keep a level head.

"You're name is Cordelia, we are you're friends. I'm Buffy and this is Angel. Do you remember anything about what might have happened to you?"

"Buffy... Oh God Buffy.. I ... I tried to... I remember ... I tried to hurt you, he made me do it... I shot Xander. Oh god Angel.." the tears begin to well up in her eyes as she recalls the horrors she was a part of. Angel grabs hold of her and pulls her into a feirce hug, letting her sob into his chest as he gently strokes her hair. "Go get the others."

Cordelia breaks away for Angel, her composure returning quickly, "And could you get me a glass of water." She takes a tissue from the box on the table and begins drying her face. Buffy and Angel look at each other and smile. She's going to be just fine. As Buffy leaves the room, Angel takes Cordelia's face in his hands and kisses her suddenly, "You had me scared there for a minute."

"Sorry about that, won't do it again, I promise." she smiles up at him, as people begin to reenter the room. Angel slids up on the couch next to Cordelia as she begins to tell them everything she can remember about her experience in the demons lair.

"That's why I couldn't see the attacker in my vision, I was the attacker. They really need to work on the vague vision thing." Cordelia says, exasperated.

"Well, whatever this demon was trying to do to Buffy didn't work, cause I feel fine." Xander says as her munches on a ham sandwich.

"Good. We should probably get to a hotel before the sun comes up. We'll stop by again tommorrow, and see if we can track this thing down." Gunn says and starts heading for the door with Fred. Angel and Cordelia, still a little shaky on her feet, follow behind them.

"Yeah we should probably go to." Xander says through the last bite of sandwich.

"Hey, Xand what about the wall?" Buffy looks at him.

"Not a problem, a little plaster and some paint and it will be as good as new. I'll bring the stuff by tommorrow."

"Thanks."

"Yeah, wait to thanks me till after you get the bill. The labor costs are what kill you everytime." Xander ducks a smack and laughs as he heads for the door with Anya.

***********

The next afternoon the group has reconvened at the Summer's house. Books of all sizes lay all around the living room and they try to find something about the wand or a picture to match the demon Cordelia met.

"Nothing! I've found nothing! This thing could attack again at anytime, and we still don't even know what it is!" Cordelia, still aggravated about what happened to her, slams her book down and heads for the kitchen.

The doorbell rings, Buffy answers it and pays the pizza man, taking the four slim boxes from the pimply faced teenager. "Thanks." She turns around and see's Xander just finishing up with plastering over the fist size hole in the wall. "Hey Xander, take a break, pizza's here." She steps up to him and he turns towards her, but the minute he gets one whiff of the pizza he turns and runs the other way, shoving Cordy aside to get to the bathroom, where he becomes ill. The two women look at each other and then at the bathroom door. "That's weird."

Cordelia looks back at Buffy, "Is it just me or has he put on weight since last night?"

"You don't think that it has something to do with the blast he took do you?"

"We should get Willow to run some tests, see if he's mystically sick or something."

"I'll get the chem set."

"I'll get Willow."

***********

"There is nothing wrong that I can tell." Willow looks up at the group from the kitchen table, "I've run every test on his blood I can think of, and it all looks normal."

"Well, there has to be something." Xander looks up at the red head, "I can't even smell food without wanted to vomit. There has to be something you haven't tried."

"I have an idea!" Cordelia looks over at Buffy, "Do they still have karoke night at the Bronze on Mondays?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"They have karoke at the Bronze, I didn't know that." Angel looks over at the girls.

"We never went, for obvious reasons. Using the 'school night' excuse." Cordelia gets up and heads for the phone "I need to make a long distance call to Las Vegas. I think we know someone who might be able to help figure this out. You think you can hold out another day Xander?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5**

"How you feeling Xander?" Buffy hands him a glass of water as he puts the finishing touches on the newly patched up wall.

"I'm okay, except for these really bad cramps I started getting last night." Xander lets out a small groan and wraps an arm around his stomach. It's early evening at the Summers house, as the group prepares for the evening outting. " I just hope this friend of Cordy's can tell us what the hell is wrong with me. I've put on like ten pounds in the last twenty-four hours. I couldn't even fit into my pants this morning and had to wear these old sweats."

Dawn comes down the stairs and looks at her sister. "So, what's the big bad mission for tonight sis."

"Actually we're heading for the Bronze, you wanna come?" Buffy smile at her sister, their relationship had really grown stronger over the past few months.

Dawn grimaces a little at the idea,"The Bronze? On Monday? Gee, I really love to but... you know school night and all. I should propably stay home, do my homework, you know." Dawn heads towards the kitchen.

"Same as ever." Buffy lets out a small giggle.

"I wish I could stay home. Do you think I really gotta sing?" Xander looks at Buffy, obviously not loving the idea.

"That's what Cordy said. I'm actually looking forward to this, even got a new roll of film and everything." Buffy pats him on the back and heads off to join the group in the living room.

Cordy puts down the phone as Buffy enters, "That was Lorne, he just got in and is ready to meet us down at the Bronze whenever we're ready."

"We should go soon, get there early before the crowds. I don't want to be there anylonger then needed." Willow says as she gets up from her spot on the couch.

Buffy turns to the group, "Xander is just finishing up the last touches on the wall, we can get going as soon as he's finished."

Just then the front door opens anhd Anya comes in with a shopping bag in hand. She walks over to Xander pulling out a pair of pants and pulling off the price tags, "Look honey I got you some new pants to wear. They look like jeans but they have an elastic waist band so you can wear them no matter how fat you get!"

"Uh, Thanks An." Xander sheepishly takes the pants and heads for the bathhroom to change, whille the rest of the group holds back a giggle.

***********

An hour later the group, joined by Lorne, is convened at the Bronze, drinks in hand, watching Xander finish up his rendetion of California Dreamin' up on the stage, in his new pants. The performance is just about as bad as you can get. Both teams look shocked and horrified, with the exception of Lorne who seems to be finding the whole scene rather amusing and can barely keep from laughing out loud.

As Xander exits the stage, Lorne turns to Buffy,"So what kind of demon did you say did this?"

"We don't know, couldn't find him in any of the books."

Xander wanders back to the group, looking very embrassed. "So tell me, my green man, what the hell is wrong with me?"

"Well, let me just say you picked a very relavent song." Lorne sips his Seabreeze, "For the situation at hand."

"What California Dreamin'? What relavent about that?"

"Not the title, the artist, The Mommas and The Papas." The group looks at Lorne, a little confused, waiting for the explaination. "My quess is it's a Shermuck demon, not really well know, and there aren't many of them. Mainly because they don't reproduce like everyone else. Due to their gentic make up, they don't have the means to carry their own young, and instead find willing, or even unwilling serogates. Usually females they find to be strong enough to carry it for them. The birth usually kills the would be mom, so they have no problem retaking there young after they are born."

"Wait a minute are you saying..." Cordy can barely get out the words while the laughter is bubbling up inside her, "Xander is pregnant?!"

"He's got the bun, just not the oven. Which is probally why he's having the cramps."

"Of course," Willow nearly jumps out of her seat, "That's the only thing I didn't test for. I mean why would I being he's a man and all."

Xander looks almost disgusted by the news while the rest of the group apologizes through their own laughter.

Lorne looks over at Buffy, "He propablly figured that a Slayer would be the perfect mom for his child, unfortunitly for the lad here, he missed. I'm surprised he didn't come after you again."

"Okay so now we know what's wrong, how do we fix it, we can fix it can't we!?" Xander looks over at the green demon with fear in his eyes.

"Oh sure, little miss demony britches can do it with her glow thing no prob. No worry."

"Great, lets go! Now." Xander grabs his coat.

"But I wanna sing too..." Anya speaks up, only to be answered by Xander grabbing her by the arm and dragging her out to the door back to Buffy's house, followed by the still snickering rest of the group.

***********

After a quick purging of the demon element the two teams bid their farewells. The AI team heads back out to Angel's car, loading up their luggage and weapons.

Xander, looking relieved gives Cordy a hug goodbye, "Thanks, but next time you come try to avoid getting grabed by demons looking to spawn, okay."

"I'm just glad it wasn't me this time." Cordy smile and goes on to hug Willow and the others.

Angel and Buffy hang to the back watching their friends and family's goodbyes, "She really is something isn't she." Buffy looks up at Angel who is gazing at Cordelia.

"Yeah she is."

"Don't screw it up this time, k."

"Thanks." Angel turns and gives a heartfelt hug to his former love before heading to the car and back to LA.

As the Scoobies watch them drive off Buffy turns to her friends, "Come on, we should get some sleep. Tommorrow's Tuesday, and who knows what's gonna happen then."


End file.
